home of North America's Farthest North outdoor/garden large-scale model railway !
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Experience history by viewing the
ultimate
operating historic model railroad in large scale ("G"- 1:24) which
provides an artistic interpretation of significant elements of the Chitina
Local Branch of the CRNW Railway.
The CRNW began at the wharf at Cordova, which was CRNW mile zero. Chitina was CRNW mile 131, McCarthy was CRNW mile 189, and Kennecott--the interior terminal--was mile 195. The Chitina Local Branch of the CRNW Railway began at mile 131, crossing the Copper River at mile 132, and continuing east another 60 miles to McCarthy, then 4 1/2 miles north to Kennecott and the mines. The railroad operated from 1911 until abandonment in 1938, primarily serving Kennecott Copper Company's mines which fed the mill at the town of Kennecott. Kennecott was the richest high-grade copper mine ever, significantly out-pacing in dollar production all of the Alaska gold mines and all but one of the more famous Alaska gold districts. A detailed story of the operation of Kennecott and its CRNW Railway can be found in the historic novel "Legacy of the Chief" |
If you are thinking about traveling to Alaska and you are a rail-fan, you need to see us !
If you are interested in the local history, especially as it relates to old Kennecott and its Copper River & Northwestern Railway, you definitely need to visit us before you continue on to the ghost town of Kennecott.
My extensive and unique bar display includes many large, historic framed photos and panoramas of Kennecott in the Territory of Alaska, its CRNW Railway, the associated railway towns and the Ahtna people of the Copper Valley.
As the author of a historic novel on the subject, and as a descendent of Ahtna people who were contemporaries of the builders of the railroad and the operators of the mine--some of whom dealt with them directly--I am one of Alaska's foremost experts on the subject. If you catch me at the right time, you may even see the trains run !
Rooms available with satellite TV from $59.00.
We also have camping sites right along the Klutina River for $15.00 The Klutina is one of Alaska's premier king salmon sports fishing rivers.
And we have a public coin-op shower next to our public restrooms. A small laundromat is also available.
--Ron Simpson, owner & operator, Copper Rail Depot
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| The Wrangell Range as it appears a few miles south of Copper Center: Richardson Highway pullout at Willow Lake: Mounts Drum, Sanford and Wrangell. Drum and Wrangell can be seen from the CRD property at Copper Center, AK. Click this photo--it is quite spectacular ! |
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